bookshelves: currently-reading, historical-fiction
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bookshelves: general-fiction
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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I just started reading The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry about an Irish lady who is almost 100 years old and has spent most of her life in a mental institution. ]]>
SillySuzy
added a quote:
"After all the world is indeed beautiful and if we were any other creature than man we might be continuously happy in it." — Sebastian Barry
"After all the world is indeed beautiful and if we were any other creature than man we might be continuously happy in it." — Sebastian Barry
bookshelves: general-fiction, to-read
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bookshelves: historical-fiction, to-read
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bookshelves: general-fiction, to-read
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bookshelves: general-fiction, to-read
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bookshelves: crime
Gripping story about how 12-year-old Joel Campbell came to firing the gun that killed Helen Lynley. The three Campbell children (Ness, Joel and Toby) end up with their aunt Kendra after their dad died, their mum was committed to a mental hospital and their grandmother abandoned them. Aunt Kendra does the best she can, but it is a losing battle from the start. In spite of his age, Joel feels responsible for both his older sister and his younger (autistic?) brother. He goes to great lengths to keep them out of trouble, but he gets mixed up with the wrong people who know exactly where Joel's weak points lie. In his desperation Joel makes a deal with the Blade, a gang leader ruling the streets in North Kensington, and he makes Joel do things he would never have done otherwise. Which eventually brings him and Calvin Hancock, one of the Blade's underlings, to Eaton terrace for the disastrous shooting.
I had read nothing but bad reviews on this book. Some people even went so far as to say that they would never read an Elizabeth George novel again as they were so disappointed by What Came Before He Shot Her. With me it is just the other way around. I think this is the best novel she has ever written. Ms George is so good at describing the gradual downfall of this family, it takes my breath away. It is all so realistic, so plausible. This is how things go in real life. Even though the main characters sometimes take wrong decisions and do bad things, they mean well and you understand where they are coming from. I greatly admire Aunt Kendra for not giving up on these three children that were dumped on her. Joel and Toby moved me quite a lot. Of course you know from the start that things are going to end badly, yet the story continued to fascinate me and I kept wondering how a nice boy like Joel could have done such a terrible thing. I was in for a totally unexpected twist in the tale.
So, a terrific read as far as I am concerned. Now I am left worrying about what happens next to Ness, Joel, Toby, Kendra and Dix. I sure hope they will find some happiness eventually. ]]>
bookshelves: classics, to-read
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